In Midnight's Light
by kateandharvey
Summary: After midnight, CC returns to the Sheffield mansion to talk to Niles about his proposals... she thinks. A Dummy Twins Fill-In!
1. Chapter 1

**In Midnight's Light**

 **Chapter 1**

 **kateandharvey**

It was long after midnight. She couldn't be very sure of the time through her grief-filled haze, but it was definitely after midnight. Her red hat long-gone and her eyes filled with pressure from unshed tears, she could barely form a complete thought in her head. She was halfway through one thought when she had jumped to another. She pulled out a bottle of whiskey, but by the time she retrieved a glass, she didn't even feel like alcohol. _You? Not feel like alcohol?_ she could hear Niles' quips even alone in her penthouse. No alcohol and she couldn't get the tears to come. It was much like Sara's death. The grief and depression and regret that hung in the air was too heavy to allow even tears to relieve it.

Now, she stood at the front door of the Sheffield mansion. If someone had asked her how she had come to her decision _and_ made her way to the mansion, she wouldn't be able to answer. All she knew for sure was that there was a strong burning desire inside of her. It was a burning she had never experienced before. It was a passion, a feeling, coursing through her veins and taking residence in her soul. She just _had to do something._

She uncharacteristically curled her hands around her eyes and pressed her face to the door. Through the glass, she tried to see if anyone was walking around in the darkness inside. While trying to make out where the thin stream of light she saw was coming from, the feeling inside of her bubbled up. Without giving a second thought, she reached into her pocket and used her spare key to open the front door.

Stepping into the den, she grew more and more anxious with each heel-click on the tile. Stepping down, she realized that the stream of light she had seen was peaking through the door from the kitchen. On this night, CC Babcock didn't know much, but she knew who would be on the other side of the swinging door.

Later she would blame it on liquid courage even though she knew she hadn't had a drop of it. Slowly, she approached the kitchen door.

Taking a deep breath, she tried to gather her thoughts enough to know what she was going to say. The Niles she had gotten earlier was cruel and mean and hurt. She didn't know which version of the witty butler she would get tonight. She closed her eyes, and basked in the moment of silence before she would willingly help all hell to break loose behind the door.

Slowly, she raised her glove-covered hand to the door. Her palm lay flat against the wood.

"What are you doing here?" The voice came from behind her, startling her, and causing her to turn so fast she nearly fell over.

Sure enough, there he stood. Still in his work uniform, Niles looked… she searched for the word. _Tired_ her brain supplied. His hair was disheveled and his tie was gone. The top two buttons of his dress shirt were undone, and he held a glass in his hand.

Ignoring his question, she gestured to his glass. "What are you drinking?"

He huffed, shaking his head. He wouldn't meet her eyes. "Nothing." At her look, he met her face- not her eyes, but close- and explained, "It's Mr. Sheffield's from the office." She nodded. "I was just headed back to the kitchen to wash it."

She knew they had a dishwasher, so why he was handwashing glasses, especially one by one did not make any sense to her, but it wasn't why she had come. As if sensing her thoughts, he repeated, "What are you doing here?"

She shrugged, glancing at the ceiling. With a sad smile, she replied, "I don't know." His brow raised only slightly, but she caught it. "I don't know, Niles."

He nodded, as if accepting that this was the truth, and headed past her into the kitchen. As he predicted, she followed behind him. He busied himself with washing the glass as she looked at him, silent. He had already dried the glass and put it away when he finally spoke. He wasn't as polite. "If you aren't going to talk, Babcock, I'm going to call it a night."

Her eyes met his across the dimly lit kitchen and if he didn't know her, he would have missed the slight glossiness in her eyes. "I know I'm supposed to say something, Niles, but I don't know what."

He was angry. He was tired and heartbroken, and bitter. He responded without a thought, "Well isn't that great?" He was sarcastic. She braced herself. "Finally, the blonde socialite realizes something she _should_ do. But yet, she _finally_ has a moment where she _doesn't know everything_. Would you imagine that?"

She was CC Babcock. She didn't let him deter her. "Dammit, Niles, I'm _trying_."

He came around the counter to stand in front of her. Sleeves rolled up, he leaned back against the island. They were no more than two feet apart. "Trying for what?"

CC's eyes searched the room for anything to focus on that wasn't the butler. "I'm _trying_ ," she began, willing her voice not to crack, "to do the right thing."

He scoffed, and immediately began to walk away. "The _right thing_? So that's what this is? Some pity visit to make yourself feel better? So maybe we can be friends down the road?" She stayed silent. "That's a crock of shit and you know it as well as I do. We've never been friends, Babcock. We certainly won't be friends after this."

Frantic to get him to stay, she raised her voice slightly and spat out, "Aren't we?" She sounded like a small child and she hated herself for it.

Because it was after midnight. Because she was in front of him. Because he was tired and hurt and angry and he'd lost it all anyways. Because she was so goddamn beautiful in the faint light from the kitchen, he answered, "Friends don't want to have sex with their friends, CC."


	2. Chapter 2

**In Midnight's Light**

 **Chapter 2**

 **kateandharvey**

The meaning was completely lost on her. She was too stubborn. "Sometimes they do!" If she was a child, she would've stomped her foot. He nearly chuckled at the sight.

He shook his head. "You insufferable woman." He laughed. It was genuine. He couldn't believe the little girl she had reverted to. She looked at him incredulously. He was laughing at her and she didn't understand why. He was blunt. "I'm talking about _you,_ Babcock."

She thought she was masking her surprise well. He looked at her confusedly, because she looked as if he had just dropped a bomb. Unbeknownst to him, her throat and mouth had immediately gone dry and her heart fell into her stomach. She _thought_ she knew was he was saying, but she had to be sure. "What?" Before waiting for him to answer, she continued "You…" Uncharacteristically, CC Babcock was nervous.

He finished for her. "I am attracted to you, yes." Niles ran a hand through his hair, exasperated. "But I'm not in the mood to have this conversation tonight. Quite frankly, I didn't even expect to see you." He sounded resigned.

She seemed to ignore nearly everything he had said. "You're…" she swallowed visibly, "You're _attracted_ to me?"

To his credit, he chuckled again, but his exhaustion was still written on his face. "I asked you to _marry_ me, Babcock. There's a lot included in that."

Her brow furrowed and her head turned slightly with confusion. "But you said…"

The butler looked at her as if she had two heads. Bluntly, he answered her. "Miss Babcock, I know the last time the left side of your bed was filled was before your kind was wiped from the earth, but married people generally have _sex_." He let it all go, "I knew it wasn't likely that you returned my feelings, especially after everything that's happened lately, but I thought there was _some_ sort of _something_ , especially after that kiss in the den we shared." CC returned his gaze with a seemingly blank stare. He tried to continue. "Look it, Miss-"

"-Shut up." She cut him off.

A single brow raised on the butler's face. "I'm sorry?"

The socialite blinked. She studied him for a moment. Later, she would remember the way he looked defeated and like he had nothing to lose. She would remember looking at him and wondering if he had always looked so aged. He was older, that much was obvious. It was quite a large age-difference between the two of them. However, for whatever reason, this night in the kitchen… she realized she didn't care at all. "You mean… you're serious?"

"Serious about what?" The butler struggled to grasp the thought that was running through the blonde's head. "Bloody hell, Babcock, we sound like a couple of morons."

CC took a deep breath, but hesitated. She had come to the mansion to find answers. _That's_ the thing that she was meaning to do. The burning passion in her soul was back, and it was pushing at double the force. Regardless of the fact that she was still _very confused_ , she suddenly realized that she needed one thing from Niles before they parted ways: the truth. Her heels clicked on the floor as she stepped closer to him. It was as if closing the distance would close the confusion.

"Tell me something, Niles." He couldn't handle this conversation anymore. He was looking away, afraid to meet her eyes. CC crouched her head down as if she was trying to find his eyes as she would a child. Finally, when their eyes connected, she could see unshed tears in them. "Were your proposals a joke?"

He cleared his throat, slowly shaking his head from side to side. When he spoke, it was a near whisper. He was too exposed, too vulnerable to her. Proposing to her was _one_ thing, but being clear and precise about his full extent of feelings for her was too much. "I can't do this, Miss Babcock." She reached for his forearms and he pulled away. "I can't. I'm not strong enough. I'm not built for this."

Her own eyes were glossing and she could feel it, but CC Babcock _didn't_ cry. She certainly didn't cry over the help. "Niles… I only need _one_ thing right now. I know I didn't react well earlier, and I'm realizing that now, and I'm… I feel badly about that, but I have to ask you for this _one thing_." He nodded, as if accepting this was acceptable, and a single tear trickled down his left cheek. She examined him for a moment before continuing. "Why did you ask me to marry you? And _why_ for the love of God, did you do it after trying to tell me I walk like a duck?"

He took a breath, and he honestly felt that he would hyperventilate. He glanced into her eyes. She looked… worried. It wasn't the first time he had seen her look at him that way. It was a look of _what is happening_ and _what will happen_ and _I don't understand_. He didn't know how to reveal himself to her with that look on her face. The only other times he had seen that look was Sara and his heart attack. CC Babcock was a strong woman, but she was a complicated one. If he was being truthful, that was part of what attracted him to her.

He was _so tired_ and she was _so beautiful_ and she was _worried about_ him and it was so _nice_ to have someone else worry about _him_ for a change…He had already admitted to wanting to take her to his room and… He stopped that line of thinking. It wouldn't get him anywhere. However, he was leaving tomorrow. He was leaving tomorrow. For good. What else did he have to lose?

"Why does a man ask a woman to marry him?" He glanced at her, and after a beat, continued. "There isn't a time I remember _not_ being in love with you, Miss Babcock." He glanced into her eyes. Niles shrugged. "I was tired of being alone. I was tired of the long nights. I was tired of the tension and the chemistry and no… ending." She looked at him. It wasn't a blank stare. She seemed… calm. "I decided, with some prodding from Miss Fine, that I couldn't take it anymore. After Chandler, and Colin, and all the others…I couldn't handle it. My plan wasn't to ask you to marry me, but I lost my thought process because you were so _happy_ and you did the _laugh_ …" He trailed off at her pointed look and knowing that he had said too much. The butler cleared his throat. "Anyway, that's why I asked, I guess."

Without missing a beat, the blonde asked another question, "Why?"

He glanced at her, his tears dry. "Why…"

"Why do you… you know."

"Love you?" She nodded. He chuckled bitterly. "Not all of the brits in this house are morons. I'm not blind, Miss Babcock. You have a lot to offer a man." He shrugged. "I just wanted that man to be me." She was quiet again. Studying him was what she was doing, trying to process the information he has just thrown in her lap. "You're awfully quiet, Babcock. Have I answered all of your questions?" She was too stunned to reply. Tentatively, he leaned forward. He pressed a single kiss to her forehead and turned, heading for the stairs. "You're worth it, witch. Your spells could infect any man you wanted." He glanced and gestured around the room. "You can do much more than this. Remember that, instead of what I said to you on the stairs."

His left foot hit the first step when she finally spoke. "So that's it?" He turned. "You're just going to tell me all of that, and not wait for my reply?"

He shrugged. "You've been very clear." There was no bitterness to his tone, only understanding. "I don't think there's anything more worth saying." Niles was uncharacteristically resigned.

It was quiet for another moment. "You were right."

"About?" His curiosity was peaked.

"What you said on the stairs."


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N:** Thank you so much for all of your reviews! I'm a full-time student and worker, so life can get a bit hectic. I haven't forgotten about all of you! Here's your next chapter. I hope you enjoy, as I have been loving all of your reviews. They've really inspired me to keep this going, and kept the boot in my rear end kicking!

 **In Midnight's Light**

 **Chapter 3**

 **kateandharvey**

The night was emotionally draining on him. He wanted nothing more than to head to bed, and forget CC Babcock and everything that had happened. Just moments ago, he was cursing the woman and everything she stood for. What a fool he was to love such a woman as herself. Yet, he found her standing in front of the kitchen door- something he had never expected, even in his wildest dreams. Now, here she was, talking in circles and rhymes, making no sense whatsoever, but there was something that kept him rooted to the spot. Earlier, he had been ready to cut her off completely. She was talking nonsense and at any moment, it could turn on him. His heart couldn't handle another shot.

However, the curiosity got the better of him. _What in heavens was she talking about?_ "Pardon?" He asked.

CC sighed, twirling her fingers and looking nervous. How was she supposed to continue this conversation? Between what she had said and his response… I felt as though months had passed. She was losing her nerve, but she was CC Babcock. "On the stairs," she began, and he nodded to signal that he was listening, "You said that I would wonder what might have been." She shook her head, and laughed bitterly, "I barely made it home before I was wondering."

His blue eyes met hers. He looked startled. "Wondering?" He questioned.

She nodded as he turned his body fully towards hers and moved back down from the stairs. When both of his feet were again touching the tile floor of the kitchen, she continued. "Listen, Niles… I really don't know how to do this…" She swallowed thickly, "It isn't that I immediately thought… I just don't know, and I'm not right. For you. We aren't right. We couldn't be."

Suddenly confused, yet hopeful, Niles asked, "You think we aren't right?" _Is that why you broke my heart?_ Lingered in the air unspoken.

She shook her head, "I know that you've said all of those things, and I know that you feel some sort of… _feeling_ toward me…"

Feeling courageous, he interrupted. "I'm in love with you." If he was going to lose this battle, it would be her against him, not the two of them against the world.

She glanced up at him, and nodded as her eyes wandered back to the floor. "Er, yes. Right. I know all of that, now, but I really am just a…" she sighed, "a miserable old drunk." When he went to speak, she met his eyes and babbled, "I really don't have much to offer a man, not even you." _Are you a man?_ Filtered through her head, but it wasn't the time for a zinger. She felt both relieved at telling him the truth and terrified. Her hands shook as hard as her voice as she continued, "I don't like _children_ -"

"You just don't realize it." He interrupted. "You love Miss Grace."

A faint smile appeared on the socialite's lips. "She is… special. Reminds me of Sara." They shared a moment, both thinking of their departed friend, before she continued. "Regardless, I don't often like them, Niles. You _love_ children. I can't cook or clean, or fold a fitted sheet because Jesus Christ they're so difficult, I mean…"

"I can." Niles interrupted. "I can fold a fitted sheet."

Ignoring him, CC continued, "I have a horrible relationship with my family-"

"Noel and Mr. Babcock are family, and you have a fine relationship with them."

"I'm the Bitch of Broadway." She sighed, "I'm mean, I'm cruel, I'm plain… _cantankerous_."

He laughed out loud so quickly that she was startled. " _Cantankerous,_ Babcock? Who's the Brit, now?"

CC sighed. "You know what I mean." She shook her head, "Niles, I didn't say _no_ because… well, I just… we can't…er, we aren't…" She sighed again, and met his eyes. "It won't _work_ , Niles." She shook her head, her eyes growing glossy. "We'll destroy each other."

One eye brow perched itself high on his face. "You think we aren't doing that now?" She didn't respond. "You think we haven't been destroying each other for hours, for months, for years?" He moved closer to her, nearly invading her body space. "Miss Babcock, we've been slowly destroying each other for as long as I've known you." He stared into her eyes, and as much as she wanted to, she couldn't look away.

"That's exactly my point," CC whispered, "I can't take any more."

He smirked sadly, "Then why are we still doing it?"

"It isn't that simple, Niles!" She pulled away from him. "There are other things that matter, here. Other things that cannot be risked."

He was immediately hurt again. "What?" He asked, "Like your trust fund? Your reputation?" He shook his head angrily, "The _chance_ of the press finding out?" She looked at him blankly. "You think I don't know, Miss Babcock? You think that I haven't known for a while now? You're going to pass it up for the fame and the fortune?"

Thickly, her voice filled with unshed tears, she whispered, "Known what?" She was challenging him.

"You want me to say it?" He asked, "Do you _really_ want me to say it?" She didn't respond. He invaded her space yet again, "Because once I say it, it can't be taken back." She didn't speak. "I grew up believing that your one true love would leave it all behind for you," he whispered into her face, "It seems that even at this age, I haven't learned." She closed her eyes tight as the tears began to trail down her cheeks. "You should know," he whispered, "that I would've left it all. All of it, for you." The tears continued.

"Niles…" She began, her eyes still closed.

"No," he shook his head, "Don't." He backed away from her, "I'm a strong man, Miss Babcock, but not strong enough for this. Not strong enough for _you_ to play with." He smiled sadly, "You're a buffoon, Babcock."

Her eyes popped open. "Excuse me?"

He laughed bitterly. "You buffoon," he shook his head, "I don't need someone the _same_ as me. If I wanted that, I could've found her years ago." He sighed, and found her eyes with his own. "I need someone to _complete me_." He turned to walk away from her again.

"I didn't even _know_ you had feelings for me until tonight, Niles!" He turned back to her, "As much as you like to say that I'm a witch, I _don't read minds_! Especially yours." She was angry now, but so was he.

" _Really,_ Babcock?" He stalked over to her, and because she was wearing her heels from the day, he looked slightly up at her. That didn't stop her from feeling like he was towering over her. "You mean to tell me you didn't _know_ that I was in love with you? You didn't _know_ that I thought about you constantly? All day, every day? You didn't _know_ that I-"

"When was I supposed to realize, Niles?" Her arms flung about, and her eyes burned red with anger. "Were you expecting me to _catch on_ between my broken ankle and calling me a tramp?" She flung her arms about more frantically as she moved even closer to him. "Or was it between the constant comments about the rock on my coffin and the weight I had gained?"

"Oh, please, Babcock!" He was yelling now. She motioned to the Sheffield's asleep above them, and he reluctantly quieted down. "Like you didn't _know_." He hissed, "I was practically _glued_ to you every day."

"You were mean!" She was shocked at his audacity.

" _Like you weren't_!" He gestured to himself, "I'm only a lowly _butler_ so you probably didn't even notice me until tonight!"

"I noticed!" She was yelling now, too. "I had no choice but to notice!" The anger she was feeling came out as tears that streaked down her cheeks.

He scoffed, "To notice what? That I wore Mr. Sheffield's handmedowns?"

"That you're the only person that ever cared about me!"

If she were an accountant, she would be better at math. However, she could estimate that it took 2.5 seconds before his mouth came crashing down on hers.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Again, thank you all so much! I'm so sorry it has taken me so long to update, again. This little fic of mine is—finally—coming to a close! I hope this chapter finds you well. Thank you for your constant support. It is extremely valued and appreciated.

 **In Midnight's Light**

 **Chapter 3**

 **kateandharvey**

His mouth was hot and heavy on hers. His arms snaked around her fiercely, clutching her to him as if he was afraid if he didn't hold tight enough, she would disappear. CC was surprised to feel his tongue invading her open lips quickly, and surprised by the kiss she was, but it didn't stop her from giving as good as she got. Their tongues battled for what seemed like hours, and even though CC knew it was only mere minutes - of them pulling apart and coming back together, one kiss ending and another beginning so quickly she wondered if the first had really ever ended at all—she knew that no matter how long she kissed this man, this insufferable, difficult, old man—it would never be enough.

The Bitch of Broadway could not get her tongue far enough down his throat—could not feel his arms tight enough around her… She could not get close enough, and to _Niles_ of all people. _Niles_. His name filtered through her head and she nearly laughed out loud at the thought. _Who would have thought Niles would be the answer?_ She asked herself. Only a mere seconds passed before she answered her own question. _Please, Niles has always been the answer._

She felt his hands on her arms a moment before she felt herself pushed back from his body. Her lips felt damp and chilled at the sudden air, and her own body felt empty at the loss of contact. "Babcock," He whispered, his eyes finding her own, shaking his head in dismay, "this isn't the way to do things." Before she could so much as comprehend the words from his mouth— _why had he let go of her—_ he continued. "I think it's best now." He swallowed so thickly she could hear it, "For you to go."

Immediately, all at once, it crashed into her. Suddenly, everything made sense and the fog lifted and she had to _explain to him_ had to _get him to understand_ that she no longer wanted to leave. The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them, and she cursed her sudden inability to speak eloquently. "How long have you known?"

He hadn't moved since he had pulled his lips from hers, and he was still staring into her eyes when he heard her question. She saw the reaction his face instinctively made, and then he answered. There was no mistaking what she wanted to know. He shrugged. "To be honest with you, I'm not completely sure." She nodded her head as if to accept this as the truth, and he continued. His smirk seemed misplaced, but she found herself enjoying this new, transparent version of Niles. "Somewhere between my lust and my love."

CC, who had been nervously glancing around the room, met his eyes. She found a soft smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "Lust, eh?"

Niles' left eyebrow lifted. "You never had a lust phase?"

She shook her head, her smile taking over her face, now, without her permission. "I didn't say that." The eyebrow lifted further, and he wiggled them suggestively at her. She laughed out loud, then.

Slowly, her laughter drew quieter until it eventually came to a close, and they were left staring at each other. She saw his jaw move the way it did right before he was to speak, and she beat him to the punch. "I told you…you were correct, on the stairs." He nodded, understanding her unspoken request that he stay and listen to her. She glanced nervously to his left, to his right. A breath. "You've been right about a lot of things, tonight." When her eyes finally met his, he noticed immediately that they were glossy.

She looked only to his right, now. "I…" she shrugged, "I don't know when, exactly… it snuck up on me."

"I know what that's like." He smiled comfortingly at her.

She chuckled lightly, "Scared the shit out of me when I realized."

Niles couldn't help himself from asking, "That you were in love with a butler?" He sounded resigned.

CC's eyes met his face, then. "That I was in love with someone so unattainable." His brow furrowed. She sighed, "We're always teetering, Niles." He remained silent. "Always… murder or…"

" _Sex_." He supplied. To his credit, she smiled.

"Yes." She glanced down at her shoes for only a moment, her eyelids fluttering closed when she raised her chin. "It would be too risky… so easily, we could fall the wrong way."

Niles saw a tear make its way from her lashes, landing on her left cheek, and sliding down. Finally, he knew. He understood, completely, why CC Babcock had come to the mansion. Why she had tried so desperately to convince him it wouldn't work, it couldn't work... Why she had rejected him so harshly, why she was so terrified… She was right. CC Babcock, The Bitch of Broadway, was in love with him. He'd suspected, but never thought she would admit it. She was in love with him, he was in love with her… They both wanted the same thing, but he wasn't as jaded as the socialite was. His parents, his siblings… they'd raised him, they'd loved him. Unconditional love was something that CC Babcock had yet to experience.

She couldn't lose it.

Slowly, Niles raised his hand to graze her cheek. She leaned into the touch, only slightly, and her eyes fluttered open. "Miss Babcock…" He whispered into the dimly lit kitchen, "CC…" he ventured, "You are correct, we could fall the wrong way." She sighed, ready for the obvious—that which she had thought she wanted only moments ago. "But don't you see?" He pulled his hand away, his gestures becoming more and more animated as he spoke. "If things continue the way they are, we will fall, and your prediction will be true—we will destroy each other." The butler shook his head, "If we attempt this, CC, if we _really, truly_ , attempt this—we could both get everything we want, everything we need." He paused, his hand returning to her face, "We could fall the _right_ way."

The water was coming fast now, hitting her cheeks and staining them with the tracks they left behind. Quietly, so quietly he wasn't sure if he heard her correctly, she whispered, "I can't lose you."

"Oh darling," He was adamant in his tone, "I could never leave you."

She shrugged, "What about tonight?" She thought she had him, there. He was leaving the mansion, leaving the Sheffield's, leaving _her_.

He smiled softly, and gestured to the kitchen counter by the door.

There, on the tile, sat a set of keys. Keys that she recognized as emergency keys to her penthouse that she'd given to Maxwell years ago. When she turned back to him, her eyebrows furrowed, he explained, "A few more glasses of scotch, and I would've used it." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders, pulling her to him. She allowed it. "I cannot fathom this world without you in it, Babcock."

Slowly, her arms came up around his neck and she held him close. "I'm sorry, Niles," she was sobbing now, into his shoulder, "God, I'm so sorry I ruined us."

"You haven't ruined anything," he whispered, "Even if you had, I'd be half to blame."

As her tears dried, she shrugged in his arms, "Three-fourths."

He pulled back, finding her face with his arms still wrapped around her middle. "Oh Babcock, you witch!"

She laughed out loud, then, her smile too insistent to disappear. "Are we really doing this, Niles?"

His eyes grew wide, "I certainly hope so, or the way we are touching right now you are soon to find is _very_ inappropriate for a nemesis."

She chuckled again, her deep and throaty chuckle, and she felt movement. "Niles…" She smirked, "I didn't know the size of your feather duster, but I think I'm getting a pretty good idea… Should I be worried?"

He winked, "It's all in what you do with it, baby." Her laughter spilled from her further as he scooped her into his arms.

"You cow!" He stumbled toward the steps, "How can I carry you around like this if you don't lay off the alcohol?"

It took her a moment of silence before she responded, and he feared that he'd crossed a line too far back into "normal" territory. When he examined her face, however, it seemed she was smiling at him in distraction. He smiled back at her.

CC pointed her finger up the stairs, "Mush, servant!"

The butler obliged.

There were still many things the blondes needed to work on and work out, but for tonight, they were only working on one thing…

Each other.


End file.
